Method and apparatus for managing peripheral devices in a medical imaging system

A medical diagnostic imaging system comprising:

• an image data acquisition system for generating digital data representative of an image of a subject of interest;
• a control system coupled to the image data acquisition system for regulating acquisition of the data;
• and
• a peripheral device coupled to and controlled by the control system, the peripheral device including a data processing circuit, a memory circuit and an interface circuit, the memory circuit being configured to store parameter data descriptive of a characteristic of interest of the peripheral device, the data processing circuit being configured to process and store data, and the interface circuit being configured to access the parameter data and to transmit the parameter data from the peripheral device upon demand.

A method for managing peripheral data in an imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a peripheral device including a memory circuit and an interface circuit, the memory circuit being configured to store data representative of a characteristic of interest of the peripheral device, the interface circuit being configured to access the stored data and to transmit the stored data to an external device;
• storing peripheral data in the memory circuit of the peripheral device, the peripheral data remaining resident in the peripheral device;
• connecting the peripheral device to a control system;
• and
• accessing the peripheral data from the memory circuit via the control system.